A.M. Greenlist: No salmon, less transit funding, higher utility costs

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>> SoCal received just $1.65 billion -- as opposed to the  $2.2 billion asked for -- from the California Transportation Commission yesterday. That $1.65 equals 56.5 percent of the entire pot of money, but many in SoCal believe we deserved more: "Three dozen state legislators had asked that at least 70% of the money go to their region because it is home to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which combined handle 85% of the shipping cargo containers that move through California."

>> In response to CTC's decision, Metro released a statement saying the agency had a "mixed reaction": "On the one hand, the monies will be put to good use funding dozens of transportation projects.... On the other hand, Metro is disappointed that the CTC did not award this region the full $2.2 billion.

>> The CTC's decision also has Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez calling for the resignation of Roger Snoble, head of Metro (photo above). "Nuñez charged that Snoble agreed to a bad deal that shortchanged Los Angeles County early in the competition for funds and that the MTA's chief executive officer failed to provide enough transportation projects ready to compete for the money." Snoble happened to be on vacation yesterday.

>> No salmon for you! There will be no salmon fishing off California and Oregon, due to efforts to protect the chinook salmon population. The ban's the first in the 150-year history of the West Coast fishing industry.

>> Get ready for higher utility bills if you get your power from one of these companies: Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas Co., Pacific Gas & Electric and San Diego Gas & Electric. California utility customers will foot the bill for a $600-million global-warming think tank -- The California Institute for Climate Solutions -- aimed at "accelerating research into ways to quickly cut harmful greenhouse gas emissions." LA DWP customers won't be affected, because the surcharge can't be added to public utilities.

>> Don't miss the FREE Earth Day on the Promenade tomorrow, Sat., April 12, from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., on Third Street Promenade, between Broadway and Wilshire in Santa Monica.

>> Drop by the reception for Zone 5 in the City: Art Sustaining Nature, "a project that brings professional artists together with Franklin High School students to explore the issue of sustainability through the construction of site-specific installations on the grounds of the Audubon Center at Debs Park." The free event -- which includes an edible plant walk -- happens tomorrow, Sat. April 12, from 2 pm to 5 pm at Audubon Center at Debs Park, 4700 N. Griffin Ave., Los Angeles.

Photo by Clarence Williams / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[sheila]

not like LADWP is interested in anyone's ideas. they are the most destructive, rapacious, and utterly un-environmental utility i can imagine.

they use something like 80% coal (all burned elsewhere, of course) and now want to dynamite, bulldoze, pave, and otherwise slaughter a huge, huge section of wilderness just outside the Joshua Tree National Park so they can OWN more power generation and won't have pesky ratepayers getting their own solar panels.

The LA city council can stop this disaster and insist that LADWP use their resources to HELP ratepayers and the planet instead of destroy both. If nothing else, maybe not having the foxes guarding the henhouse in these matters might help? Like, why doesn't another entity take over conservation and residential/commercial renewable energy programs - one that actually WANTS these things, rather than LADWP who has done everything it can to prevent reduced consumption and prevent energy independence, and instead to kill our wilderness and yank thousands of people from their homes...

www.stopgreenpath.com